1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper sheet discharge apparatus, in particular, to a paper sheet discharge apparatus for receiving, sorting, and accommodating paper sheets such as print paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus such as a printer. The present invention also relates to a printing apparatus including such a paper sheet discharge apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recording medium discharge apparatus has been hitherto known, which is used to receive, sort, and accommodate recording media such as paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus or a printing apparatus such as copying machines, printers and facsimiles.
Such a recording medium discharge apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-197277, comprising a plurality of bins for storing paper sheets, and a pair of transport rollers for receiving paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus and discharging them to a predetermined discharge position, wherein the plurality of bins are vertically moved upwardly and downwardly to the fixed discharge positions of the pair of transport rollers so that the paper sheets are sorted into those stored in the respective bins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,686 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-259093) describes a system comprising a plurality of fixed bins moving belts for transporting paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus, in an alignment direction of the plurality of bins, and gates provided corresponding to the respective bins, for changing the direction of transport of the paper sheets effected by the moving belts so that the paper sheets are guided to the corresponding bins.
However, in recent years, it is further required that the image formation process should be performed at a high speed, in accordance with which it is also required to perform, at a high speed, the process of sorting and accommodating the paper sheets discharged from the image-forming apparatus. In the case of the apparatus in which the plurality of bins are vertically moved upwardly and downwardly to the fixed discharge position of the pair of transport rollers, it takes a long time to vertically move the bins, and it is difficult to contemplate acceleration of the sorting and accommodating process. In the case of the system in which the paper sheets, which are discharged from the image-forming apparatus, are transported by using the moving belts, and the transport direction is changed by using the gate to discharge the paper sheets to the respective bins, it is feared that the rearward end of the paper sheet cannot be discharged reliably to the bin if the resistance between the paper sheet and the bin is large when the paper sheets are fed from the moving belts to the respective bins. Therefore, such a system has a possibility, for example, of being jammed with the paper sheets. Further, in the case of any one of the recording medium discharge apparatus and system, the increase in load exerted on a driving source and the noise generated during operation raise problems when the high speed performance is pursued.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-175714 discloses a paper sheet discharge apparatus comprising multiple stages of delivery units provided in a united manner to make it possible to distribute paper sheets discharged from a paper sheet-processing unit. The delivery unit includes a tray for accommodating paper sheets, a receiving port for receiving the paper sheets transported from the paper sheet discharge apparatus, a transport means for transporting the paper sheets transported from the receiving port, a discharge port for allowing the paper sheets transported by the transport means to be discharged to the receiving port of the delivery unit, and a guide means for guiding the paper sheets imported from the receiving port to the tray or the discharge port (claim 9 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-175714). However, unlike the present invention, this patent document does not disclose any structure in which a transport direction-switching unit is provided between transport rollers and each of bins or a discharge roller for discharging paper sheets to each of bins or a tray.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems as described above, an object of which is to provide a paper sheet discharge apparatus which makes it possible to sort and accommodate paper sheets such as those discharged from a printing, reliably at a high speed, and provide a printing apparatus including the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet discharge apparatus which makes it possible to reduce the load on a driving source and the generation of noise, and to provide a printing apparatus including the same.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus, comprising:
a casing formed with an introducing section for receiving the paper sheets;
a plurality of bins attached to the casing, for storing the sorted paper sheets respectively;
a plurality of delivery rollers for discharging, to the respective bins, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section, each of the delivery rollers being provided in the casing corresponding to each of the bins;
a transport unit for transporting, to the plurality of delivery rollers, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section; and
a plurality of transport direction-switching units for switching a transport direction of the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section to sort the paper sheets into the plurality of bins, each of the transport direction-switching units being provided between the transport unit and the respective delivery roller.
According to the paper sheet discharge apparatus of the present invention, it is unnecessary to move the bin by using a vertical movement mechanism or the like even when a specified bin to be used for storing the paper sheets is changed to another bin. Each of the transport direction-switching units is provided between the transport unit and the delivery rollers associated with the predetermined bin to which the paper sheets should be discharged. Accordingly, the paper sheets, of which the transport direction is switched by the transport direction-switching unit, are reliably discharged to the corresponding bin by the aid of the delivery roller. Therefore, the paper sheets, on which predetermined images are formed, can be sorted and accommodated reliably at a high speed.
The paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise a power-transmitting unit for transmitting power to the respective delivery rollers; and a selective transmitting unit for selectively transmitting power to only a specified delivery roller which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of delivery rollers. The selective transmitting unit may comprise a mode-switching unit for making changeover into any one of power transmission and cutoff modes with respect to respective delivery rollers, wherein the mode-switching unit is operated while being interlocked with a switching action of the transport direction-switching unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus, comprising:
an introducing section for introducing the paper sheets discharged from the printing apparatus;
a plurality of discharge means for discharging the introduced paper sheets;
a plurality of storing units provided corresponding to the respective discharge means, for storing the paper sheets discharged by the discharge means;
a transport means for transporting, to the respective discharge means, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section; and
a switching means for switching a transport direction for transporting the paper sheets received from the introducing section to a specified discharge means.
According to the paper sheet discharge apparatus as defined in the second aspect, the printed paper sheets are received through the introducing section (for example, an introducing passage 21), and they are transported to the specified discharge means (for example, delivery rollers 22) of the plurality of discharge means by the aid of the transport means (for example, transport rollers 24) and the switching means (for example, switching flappers 25). The transported paper sheets are discharged by the discharge means to the storing unit which is provided corresponding to the discharge means. Therefore, even when the storing unit for storing the paper sheets is changed, it is unnecessary to move the storing unit by using a vertical movement mechanism or the like, in the same manner as in the paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the first aspect. The paper sheets, the transport direction of which is switched by the switching means, are reliably discharged to the corresponding storing unit by the aid of the discharge means. Therefore, the paper sheets, on which predetermined images are formed, can be sorted and accommodated reliably at a high speed.
In the paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the second aspect, the respective storing units may be provided detachably. When the respective storing units are detachably attached, for example, the respective storing units are installed beforehand in ordinary use, and they can be used for the sorting process. When it is intended to stack a large number of paper sheets, an arbitrary storing unit is removed or arbitrary storing units are removed so that the space, which is obtained by removing the storing unit or the storing units, can be used as a space for storing the paper sheets. Thus, the space can be used as a stacker for storing a larger amount of paper sheets.
The paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the second aspect may further comprise a storage amount-detecting means for detecting the fact that the paper sheets to be stored in the respective storing units have a predetermined amount in the concerning storing unit; and a discharge control means (for example, a discharge control program) for switching the switching means so that the paper sheets are transported to another storing unit for which it is not detected that the paper sheets have the predetermined amount, when the storage amount-detecting means detects the fact that the paper sheets stored in the specified storing unit have the predetermined amount in a state in which the paper sheets received from the introducing section are transported to the specified discharge means by the aid of the transport means and the switching means and they are stored in the specified storing unit. According to the apparatus constructed as described above, when the paper sheets stored in the specified storing unit have the predetermined amount, the storage amount-detecting means detects the fact that the paper sheets have the predetermined amount. Subsequently, the discharge control means switches the switching means so that the paper sheets are transported, not to the storing unit in which the paper sheets have the predetermined amount, but to the storing unit for which it is not detected that the paper sheets have the predetermined amount, i.e., the storing unit in which the paper sheets do not arrive at the predetermined amount. Accordingly, when the specified storing unit, to which the paper sheets are transported, stores the predetermined amount of paper sheets, the paper sheets are successively transported in an automatic manner to the storing unit in which the paper sheets do not arrive at the predetermined amount.
The paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the second aspect may comprise the plurality of storing units arranged in an aligned state, and it may further comprise a sequential discharge control means (for example, a discharge control program) for switching the switching means so that the paper sheets are successively transported in an order of the storing units aligned in their alignment direction. The sequential discharge control means is operated as follows. That is, when the specified storing unit, to which the paper sheets are transported, have the predetermined amount of paper sheets, the paper sheets are successively transported to another storing unit in the order of the storing units aligned in the alignment direction, and the paper sheets are successively stored in the respective storing units. Accordingly, the paper sheets to be stored are not stored randomly in the plurality of storing units, but they can be stored in a regular state. The paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the second aspect is preferably used in combination with the printing apparatus such as an image-forming apparatus and a printer. The use of the paper sheet discharge apparatus in combination with the printing apparatus makes it possible to smoothly sort and accommodate, at a high speed, the paper sheets discharged from the image-forming apparatus.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus, comprising:
an introducing section for receiving the printed paper sheets;
a plurality of discharge means for discharging the received paper sheets;
a plurality of storing units provided corresponding to the respective discharge means, for storing the paper sheets discharged by the discharge means;
a transport means for transporting, to the respective discharge means, the paper sheets received from the introducing section;
a transport direction-switching means for switching a transport direction for transporting the paper sheets received from the introducing section to a specified discharge means;
a power-transmitting means for transmitting power from a driving source to the respective discharge means; and
a selective transmitting means for allowing the power from the driving source to be selectively transmitted to only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of discharge means.
According to the paper sheet discharge apparatus as defined in the third aspect of the present invention, the printed paper sheets are received through the introducing section, and they are transported to the specified discharge means of the plurality of discharge means by the aid of the transport means and the transport direction-switching means. The transported paper sheets are discharged by the discharge means to the storing unit which is provided corresponding to the discharge means. The power-transmitting means (for example, a roller-driving gear array 101) for transmitting the power from the driving source to the respective discharge means is operated as follows. That is, all of the discharge means are not driven by commonly transmitting the power from the driving source to the respective discharge means. Instead, the selective transmitting means (for example, a swinging mechanism 118) is successfully used to selectively transmit the power from the driving source to only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of discharge means. Accordingly, it is possible to diminish the load on the driving source, and it is possible to reduce the driving sound during the operation, as compared with the case in which all of the discharge means are always driven.
In the paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the selective transmitting means may comprise a mode-switching means (for example, a delivery roller gear 99) for making changeover into any one of transmission and cutoff modes of power from the driving source to the respective discharge means, wherein the mode-switching means is operated while being interlocked with a switching action of the transport direction-switching means. According to the apparatus constructed as described above, the selective transmitting means transmits the power only to the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of discharge means, in accordance with the operation of the mode-switching means, and the power transmission is cut off for the other discharge means which are not used to discharge the paper sheets. That is, the simple system to achieve the transmission or the cutoff of the power makes it possible to selectively transmit the power to only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of discharge means. Further, the mode-switching means is operated while being interlocked with the switching action of the transport direction-switching means. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide any special apparatus system for switching the mode-switching means. Thus, the power from the driving source can be selectively transmitted in a reliable manner to the discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets, by using the simple and convenient system.
In the paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the respective storing units may be provided detachably. When the respective storing units are detachably attached, for example, the respective storing units are installed beforehand in an ordinary state, and they can be used for the sorting process. When it is intended to stack a large number of paper sheets, an arbitrary storing unit is removed or arbitrary storing units are removed so that the space, which is obtained by removing the storing unit or the storing units, can be used as a space for storing the paper sheets. Thus, the space can be used as a stacker for storing a larger amount of paper sheets.
In the case of the use as the stacker, the storing unit is removed, or the storing units are removed. For this reason, the discharge means corresponding to the removed storing unit occasionally makes contact with the stacked paper sheets. In such a situation, if all of the discharge means are always driven, then the discharge means contacting with the stacked paper sheets is also driven, and hence the load on the driving source is increased. Further, it is feared that the paper sheets contacting with the driven discharge means may be damaged due to the driving operation of the discharge means. On the contrary, in the present invention, the selective transmitting means is used to drive only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets. Therefore, the discharge means contacting with the stacked paper sheets is never driven. Therefore, the load on the driving source is not increased, which would be otherwise increased by the driving operation of the discharge means contacting with the paper sheets. Further, the paper sheets contacting with the discharge means are not damaged as well.
In the paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the power-transmitting means may transmit the power from the driving source to the transport means, and the selective transmitting means may selectively transmit, to the discharge means, the power transmitted to the transport means. According to the apparatus constructed as described above, the power from the driving source is transmitted to the transport means by the aid of the power-transmitting means. The power transmitted to the transport means is selectively transmitted to the discharge means by the aid of the selective transmitting means. Therefore, the one driving source can be used to drive the transport means and the discharge means. The paper sheet discharge apparatus may comprise a control means for controlling the selective transmitting means to drive only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets. The control means as described above controls the selective transmitting means to drive only the specified discharge means which is used to discharge the paper sheets.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising:
a discharge unit for discharging printed paper sheets;
a receiving unit for receiving the paper sheets discharged from the discharge unit;
a received amount sensor for detecting the fact that the paper sheets received by the receiving unit have a predetermined amount;
a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging the paper sheets discharged from the discharge unit, the discharge apparatus including:
a casing connected to the discharge unit and formed with an introducing section for receiving the paper sheets discharged from the discharge unit;
a plurality of bins attached to the casing, for storing the sorted paper sheets respectively;
a plurality of delivery rollers for discharging, to the respective bins, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section, each of the delivery rollers being provided in the casing corresponding to each of the bins;
a transport unit for transporting, to the plurality of delivery rollers, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section; and
a plurality of first switching units for switching a transport direction to sort the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section into the plurality of bins, each of the transport direction-switching units being provided between the bin and the one of delivery rollers; and
a second switching unit for switching a discharge direction of the paper sheets to a direction to the introducing section when the received amount sensor detects the fact that the paper sheets stored in the receiving unit have the predetermined amount.
According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, each of the first switching units of the paper sheet discharge apparatus is provided between one of the bins and the delivery rollers associated with the bin. Accordingly, the paper sheets, of which the transport direction is switched by the switching unit, are reliably discharged to the associated bin by the aid of the associated delivery roller. Therefore, the paper sheets, on which predetermined images are formed, can be sorted and accommodated reliably at a high speed. When the paper sheets received by the receiving unit have the predetermined amount during the discharge of the printed paper sheets to the receiving unit, and the received amount sensor detects the fact that the paper sheets arrive at the predetermined amount, then the second switching unit (for example, a selector flapper 12) is operated to switch the discharge direction of the paper sheets into the direction to the introducing section of the paper sheet discharge apparatus. Accordingly, when the receiving unit of the printing apparatus have the predetermined amount of paper sheets, the paper sheets can be stored in the storing unit of the paper sheet discharge apparatus.
The second switching unit may be provided in the discharge apparatus, or in the main printing apparatus body. The provision of the second switching unit in the paper sheet discharge apparatus makes it possible to allow all of the members for determining the discharge direction of the paper sheets to be arranged on the side of the paper sheet discharge apparatus. The provision of the second switching unit in the discharge apparatus makes it possible to simplify the system arrangement on the side of the paper sheet discharge apparatus.
The printing apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise a driving source; a power-transmitting unit for transmitting power to the respective delivery rollers; and a selective transmitting unit for selectively transmitting power to only a specified delivery roller which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of delivery rollers. The selective transmitting unit may comprise a mode-switching unit for making changeover into any one of power transmission and cutoff modes with respect to respective discharge means, wherein the mode-switching unit is operated while being interlocked with a switching action of the first switching unit.